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For humanitarian purposes, Canada sponsors a small number of refugees each year who come from devastated countries where there has been severe loss through war, natural disaster or persecution for the people there.
However, there is a policy that requires that government-sponsored refugees pay for their medical exam and their travel to Canada. Since most refugees can’t afford these expenses, Canada offers them a loan that must be repaid with interest. As a result, refugee families start their new life in Canada with a debt of up to $10, 000.
The burden of the transportation loans is having a painful impact on thousands of refugees and on Canadian society. It undermines refugees’ ability to integrate and to contribute to their full potential in their new home. These limitations, coupled with a fear of losing their status in Canada, force refugee families to make decisions that compromise their quality of life and health.
- Teenagers struggle to keep up with their studies while working to contribute towards loan payments
- Refugees postpone upgrading their language and employment skills while working at low-end jobs to meet the monthly loan payments
- Parents working multiple jobs to meet loan payments are hardly at home and cannot give children the support they need
- Refugee families making loan repayments may not have enough money for basic living costs, including food and appropriate housing
- Refugees struggling with the trauma of past persecution, exile, and the stress of adapting to a new country are vulnerable to feelings of acute anxiety over the debt burden
The cost to the federal government of absorbing the medical and transportation expenses would be insignificant in terms of the overall budget. It would also be a good investment as it would enable refugees to integrate much more quickly and contribute to the economy.
I’m sure those who have designed the transportation loan to be paid back had either maybe good intentions or had a purpose for it. But seeing the effect that the flight loan has brought over the people, they should try to stop it and try to plan again.
It’s a really big problem for me that I have to pay it back. If there was no loan, I would have more money to buy food or other necessary things.
We’re happy that the government brought us here and provided opportunities. ... It’s not that we don’t want to pay it back, it’s that we can’t pay it back.
- Quotes from members of refugee communities in Alberta
Take action
Taking action on this issue will help address issues of poverty, educational well-being, health, and gang violence in our communities. Even though many families have the determination and commitment to honor this oppressive loan repayment, we should still take action. What can you do? Ask the Canadian Government to eliminate the burden on refugees of loans by absorbing the costs of transportation and overseas medical expenses for refugees.
- Share this fact sheet with your networks and commit to taking action as a collective
- Watch and share the DVD: "Hidden Costs: Paying back the refugee transportation loan" with your networks or with your MP and MLA. There is no copyright on this 15 minute film. We encourage you to copy and distribute this DVD for the purposes of taking action on this issue.
- Write a letter to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. A model letter is available at the website below. Send a copy of this letter to your local MP and MLA (Don’t know who they are? Check the websites below.) A letter to your MP does not require a stamp.
- Get involved. Start a local network about this issue in your community and tell us about it so we can put it on this blog
(Article written by the Alberta Refugee Transportation Loan Committee)
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Sunday, 05 February 2012 
